Vols @ Home: It’s Football Time in Tennessee!

By: Sharmaine Ross

It’s football time in Tennessee!!! As summer comes to an end and the fall semester begins, we can all take comfort in knowing that Saturdays will be dedicated to football games. The wait is finally over, and eager souls prepared themselves for the first Tennessee football game of the season. Even though the first game was an away game, this did not stop the numerous dedicated VOLS. On Saturday, September 5, adoring fans hit the highway and headed to see the VOLS play Bowling Green Falcons in Nashville, TN. Volunteer supporters made an overwhelming appearance in the Nissan Stadium. So much so that campus was nearly a ghost town. However, the wonderful resident assistants of Massey planned an event for those who wanted to show their support in the comfort of their own residences.

Massey is a co-ed community residence hall, and it comes to no surprise that the residents felt at home and unified as the event took place. As a part of the Massey tailgate, students played a variety of games, such as cards and cornhole. There was also a lot a mingling among the students. Out front in the courtyard, two resident assistants grilled hot dogs for all of those who participated in the event. The Volunteer spirit was definitely in the air. Beverages and other snacks were provided throughout the entire game free of charge. Free food, great people and Tennessee football. Can it get any better than this?

Kickoff began at 4:00pm and everyone proceeded to the game room located on the first floor of Massey to watch the game. Tennessee started out with a great lead in the game with star players dominating the field. The room was filled with high spirited students who came together for one objective: supporting their team. Commercial breaks allowed for open communication about the game or refilling on snacks. As I watched this happened every few minutes, I noticed that students who had not known each other previously were becoming more casual in conversation. Events like this make it easy to meet new people without a lot of effort. It was all fun and games until the game was delayed. The bad weather in Nashville caused the game to pause for over an hour, but these Massey residents still wanted to see how the final quarters would play out.

Unfortunately, once the game commenced, Bowling Green began to catch up with Tennessee. The spirit in the room heightened and now Massey residents were cheering for Tennessee’s defense. The dedication was unwavering and it was evident throughout the entire game. The game ended with Tennessee for the win; the final score being 59-30. This win set momentum for the Volunteers, and the Massey residents were all geared up for another game on the home field for next week.

Go Vols!

Sharmaine Ross is a Senior Marketing Major.

“I love living on campus because it makes me feel even closer to my volunteer family.”